Local or Mail Order Hatchery

[Scoutmedic]

I am looking for some wyandottes and ameraucauna pullets, but Ideal seems to out for a while. I found a small, local hatchery that has some, but I'm new to chickens and not sure how reliable the hatchery is.

What criteria can I use to determine the health of the chicks from the local hatchery?

I plan to quarantine the chicks after getting them, but not really interested in keeping them in the house. It took a lot of work to move the 6 (now 5) chickens we now have from the house (70-80F) to outside (90-100+F). Gotta love that South-Central Texas weather -- hot and humid day and night!!

Thanks for the help!!

 

[Erica]

Clean and dry are the first signs of health in a chick. When a chick is sick, it often looks a bit damp (especially around the head or under the wings). Active and alert, jumping over each other to get to food are all good signs. Look closely at faces and eyes; they should be absolutely crystal clear and clean (except maybe for crumbs). A wobbly, hunched or overly sleepy chick is a sign of something wrong.

You're generally a bit safer buying chicks than adults. The process of hatching culls the weak, and very often the survivors haven't been exposed to disease yet (though a few may have carried something from the egg). Still a great idea to quarantine for 2 weeks at least in case of MG (the germ that causes chronic respiratory disease in stressed birds).

I'd be happy to buy from a local hatchery as long as I could see the setup and have a good look at the chicks. I've even bought chicks from a local auction. However I simply kept them right away from other birds and since they grew to maturity without an issue I trusted that seller and made a note of him for future purchases.

hope this helps,
Erica